Apple iPhone 3G launch roundup

"I have an iPhone... and you don't!"

I decided (ok, my financial advisor, aka spouse, decided for me) to skip the iPhone 3G frenzy this morning and just sit back and watch the fun. For all you fellow "phone potatoes" out there, here's a roundup of today's excitement from around the world. And it won't cost you an extra penny in data fees.

[ READ: More iPhone on ZDNet ]

• When you're Robert Scoble, you don't wait for an iPhone -- Greg Sandoval I was out in front of the Apple store near Union Square at 9 p.m. on Thursday evening standing in line for the iPhone 3G that makes its debut today. Robert Scoble (right) walks up at 7:15 a.m. on Friday, 45 minutes before the doors are scheduled to open and a fan lets him take cuts in line...
• Apple’s iPhone 3G activation problems -- Jason D. O'Grady I’m not sure if it’s just a server load issue because of all the east coast Apple and AT&T stores opening, but here at the Apple Store at The Pier customers are being told that their phones can’t be activated and to take them home to activate. Rob and I popped upstairs to the coffee bar (thanks to free coupons from Apple) and connected to the free Wi-Fi network only to have the same problem.
• Apple’s MobileMe experiences post-launch pain -- Michael Krigsman Apple’s new MobileMe web service experienced post-launch downtime yesterday, frustrating users who expected more...
• The iPhone: Now with Microsoft ActiveSync support -- Mary-Jo Foley Microsoft’s been noticeably and characteristically mum about Apple’s iPhone 2.0 unveiling this week. But on July 11, the Redmondians did make sure to note that iPhones now include ActiveSync support for Exchange Server.
• iPhone 3G poses barriers to business adoption -- Natasha Lomas For years, Apple has paid little attention to products for enterprise users. Now it's pitching its new iPhone 3G as: "The best phone for business. Ever". But has it got the package right?
• Software update gives new life to the first iPhone -- Kent German Although Friday's launch of the iPhone 3G is grabbing all the headlines, there's no need to put the original iPhone out to pasture just yet. With the iPhone 2.0 software update, the first iPhone is getting another day in the sun, and it's a nice toasty sunshine at that.
• iPhone 3G battery, screen are user-replaceable, sort of -- iPhoneAtlas If you’re willing to void your warranty, perform relatively complex disassembly process and get your hands on a replacement, you can in fact insert a new battery in the iPhone 3G without worry of seriously damaging the device.
• iPhone 3G review --Ryan Block There are always things that could be improved, features to be added, fixes that should be applied -- but from first to second gen, from year one to year two, Apple has proven itself a relentless upstart in the mobile space, and is showing no signs of slowing down. All those new features give the iPhone even more appeal than ever, but the price is what really seals the deal.
• iPhone 3G international launch lineblog -- Engadget The iPhone 3G has landed -- in New Zealand anyway. Let us tell you, it was an absolute madhouse. Everyone kept mentioning that for low-key Kiwis, this kind of thing was total pandemonium.
• The Apple iPhone 3G and me -- Claudine Beaumont There's been someone new in my life: the Apple iPhone 3G. I'm pleased to say that the relationship is blossoming. While everyone else had to wait until today to get their hands on the hottest gadget since?…?well, the last iPhone came out, I have been flirting shamelessly with it for the past three weeks...
• iPhone OS 2.0 Unlocked -- Jesus Diaz The new iPhone OS 2.0 software has been unlocked and jailbroken. It was released just hours ago and it has already been cracked by the iPhone Dev Team. The first one took a couple of months, but this one was actually unlocked before Apple released it to the public.
• O2: iPhone 3G orders reached 13,000 per second -- Jonny Evans U.K. cellular operator O2 has admitted that its online ordering system failed this week - on strength of orders reaching 13,000 per second at points on Monday morning...
• Apple's App Store launches with more than 500 apps -- AppleInsider Apple said Thursday that more than 500 native applications are now available on the iPhone's App Store for use with the new iPhone 3G. Over 125 of those applications -- or more than 25 percent -- are being offered for free. According to Apple chief executive Steve Jobs, 90 percent of the remaining applications will cost just $9.99 or less.
• iPhone App store; why do we need 10 tip calculators? -- Matthew Miller As I posted yesterday, I updated my first generation iPhone to the 2.0 firmware and started trying out 3rd party applications from the App Store. Since there are no trials available I had to pull the trigger on a couple applications I really wanted to try out and bought Super Monkey Ball and SplashMoney so far. Browsing through the iPhone App Store was fun, interesting, and a bit frustrating and I came away with a few impressions.
• 500 iPhone Apps, but why these? -- Jeff Smykil Looking at what is available, we have to wonder how Apple picked the applications it did. There are many applications that are no-brainers, so how did the rest make the cut? We have talked to several developers, some with several apps that didn't make the cut and have made some guesses as to what Apple's process was...
• iPhone app hands-on: Super monkey ball (with screenshots) -- iPhoneAtlas If you receive a call while playing Super Monkey Ball, play will be interrupted and you will be presented with the traditional “Answer” or “Decline” screen. If you decline the call, Super Monkey Ball will be automatically paused and you can immediately resume and return to play. If, however, you accept the call, Super Monkey Ball will restart and your previous game will be eliminated.
• Best of the worst: the App Store's hits and misses -- Joshua Topolsky We didn't try all 500+ applications (fitness? puhlease), but we did handle quite a few, and we've rounded up the best and worst that we've seen so far for your viewing pleasure...
• More iPhone on ZDNet